Searching for the Dead by Annie Wittenmyer
A Philadelphia widow searches the Shiloh battle-field for her only son’s grave, aided by soldiers and a Sanitary-boat companion. After two days, she finds his marked mound, takes a passion flower as a token, and insists on seeing his body. Recognizing him beneath his blanket, she cuts locks of his brown hair and thanks God for restoring him to her and for the hope of meeting again in heaven.
By Annie Wittenmyer · First published 1895 · Genre: Civil War Literature, War Nonfiction, Memoir · 533 words
First lines
A lady from Philadelphia searched for days over the wide battle-field of Shiloh for the grave of her only child -- a bright, beautiful, Christian boy, only eighteen. A detail of men was sent from the regiment to help search for the grave. She was quartered on our Sanitary boat, and I went with her. "They are all buried side by side -- all we could find of our regiment," said the sergeant who had charge of the squad of men sent out to help us search. We scattered, keeping in sight of each other, and in calling distance, and searched thoroughly; but it was not till the second day that we found the grave.
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Genres
- Civil War Literature — The narrative is set in the aftermath of the Battle of Shiloh and centers on the recovery and burial of a Union soldier killed during the American Civil War.
- War Nonfiction — It presents a realistic account of wartime death, battlefield burials, soldiers' testimony, and the practical work of locating a fallen soldier's remains.
- Memoir — The first-person narrator recounts her direct participation in helping a bereaved mother search for her son's grave from a Sanitary Commission boat.
- Historical Nonfiction — The piece records an emotionally specific civilian and military experience connected to a major historical event, preserving details of nineteenth-century mourning and battlefield conditions.
Tags
American Civil War · Battle of Shiloh · Shiloh battlefield · 1862 · Civil War mourning · bereaved mother · widowhood · loss of an only son · soldier's grave · battlefield burial · search for the dead · maternal grief
What this Textopian page supports
Searching for the Dead is listed on Textopian as a historical account by Annie Wittenmyer, dated 1895 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Historical account
- Author: Annie Wittenmyer
- Date: 1895 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Civil War Literature, War Nonfiction, Memoir, Historical Nonfiction, Personal Essay
- Length: 533 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for Searching for the Dead by Annie Wittenmyer
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